Random thoughts of a Birmingham-based political junkie and party hack, Labour member and activist. And a Councillor for the City of Birmingham, representing Acocks Green ward.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Short Memory, Deirdre?

The Birmingham Mail has revealed that 740 acute beds are likely to be cut across hospitals in Birmingham. Cllr Deirdre Alden, chair of the City Council health scrutiny committee, has 'hit out,' saying that that "members of the public are going to be disengaged because a year ago, we were all promised no cuts to the NHS and that's clearly not the case." Not just a year ago, Deirdre, the Tories are still promising that NHS spending has been protected. Sadly, the reality on the ground is rather different.

Deirdre omits to remind us that last year, as a Conservative candidate, she was helping to spread the lie that the NHS was safe in Cameron's hands. Glad to see that the scales have fallen from her eyes. What took you so long, Deirdre?

In other news, it appears that the petition backed by the Tory candidate in Solihull to keep the local maternity unit has failed and it will change to a midwife-led unit, with difficult births transferred across the border into Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital.

Cameron claims to love the NHS - they say you always hurt the ones you love.